Speed Seeker Rallies to Win Ontario Colleen

Favoured Speed Seeker, with Luis Contreras, came from off the pace to win the co-featured $169,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes for three-year-fillies, Saturday at Woodbine.

The Joan Scott-trained Florida-bred daughter of Heatseeker-Seraphic Too was making just her third career start in the one mile turf contest, after breaking her maiden on the front end convincingly in June at Woodbine, then finishing a game fifth in the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga on July 23.

Executive Allure set all the fractions while being pressed by Daring Kathy, getting the first quarter in :22.95, the half in :45.28 and the three-quarters in 1:09.63 before turning into the E.P. Taylor Turf Course stretch.

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Meanwhile, Speed Seeker, forced to be throttled back by Contreras early on, was sitting a patient sixth but in traffic around the far turn. However, in the run through the stretch, a hole opened up between the two front runners and Speed Seeker exploded through it, widening at will inside the sixteenth pole to post a four and three-quarter length win in 1:34.91 over the ‘good’ course.

Executive Allure dug in gamely for second, out-battling Daring Kathy near the wire after the latter had overtaken her in mid-stretch.

“The first time I rode her, she showed a lot of speed,” said Contreras. “Today, I tried to do the same thing but I got in a lot of trouble. So I just tried to relax her.”

Said Scott, “I was disappointed in the trip at Saratoga, but the filly herself I love. I love her even more now. That (early trouble) had me really concerned. It didn’t look good when he (Contreras) had to stand up on the filly. But he kept on riding and it worked out perfect.”

Speed Seeker, owned by Robert Johnson, Frank Coniglio, Richard Rendina and Frank Ferrigine, earned $90,000 for the victory. As the 5-2 post-time choice, she paid $7.40, $4.30 and $2.90, combining with Executive Allure ($6, $3.70) for a $34.20 (5-7) exactor. A 5-7-9 (Daring Kathy, $4.10) triactor returned $158.60 while a $1 Superfecta [5-7-9-8 (Cactus Kris)] was worth $722.60.